1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to processing of slurries. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus and methods for removing solid debris from slurry processing systems.
2. The Prior Art
Many processes in industries such as farming, the food and beverage industry and others, involve the handling of slurries including mixtures of solids and liquids. In a large number of these processes, it becomes necessary at some point to separate the solid components of the slurries from the liquid components of the slurries. A non-exhaustive list of examples of slurries include manure, beer and wine sludge, nut and grain hulls and other food products.
There are numerous reasons to separate out liquid components of slurries. Such purposes include, but are not limited to, waste water processing, clean water recovery, weight reduction prior to hauling solid waste components of a process to reduce transportation costs.
One particular application of the need for separation of solids and liquids from slurries is found in dairy farming. On dairy farms, dairy cows eat and walk on concrete flush lanes. While in these lanes, the cows excrete solid and liquid waste, approximately 15 to 20 gallons of solid waste per cow per day. The solid waste is a valuable commodity and is used for fertilizing as well as creating bedding for cows. Thus, dairy farms pump water from large storage lagoons into the dairy cow flush lanes in order to flush the lanes and collect the solid and liquid waste, in a storage pit from which it is mixed and pumped over a screen separator to remove the solids from the water.
It is known in the art to pump the flushed water, that is water that has already been flushed down the dairy cow flush lane, to a solid waste separator. Water from the flush lanes is directed into a holding lagoon or pit from which it is directed into a solid waste separator system. Some slurry separators and solid waste separators, including ones in use in dairy farming operations, employ components such as roller presses and screw presses in later stages to separate the solid and liquid components of slurries, etc.
One problem that arises in such separator systems is the presence of large solid debris in the waste slurry. This debris takes many forms, and can include pieces of wood, metal, glass, plastic and other materials. Some of these materials can damage or clog components such as roller presses and screw presses, requiring additional maintenance and/or repair, resulting in extra cost and system downtime.